Search USGS⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search USGS

Results for “Pests and Their Control”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
USGS2018

Modeling the compensatory response of an invasive tree to specialist insect herbivory

The severity of the effects of herbivory on plant fitness can be moderated by the ability of plants to compensate for biomass loss. Compensation is an important component of the ecological fitness in many plants, and has been shown to reduce the effects of pests on agricultural plant yields. It can also reduce the effectiveness of biocontrol through introduced herbivores in controlling weedy invasive plants. This study used a modeling approach to predict the effect of different levels of foliage herbivory by biological control agents introduced to control the invasive tree Melaleuca quinquennervia (melaleuca) in Florida. It is assumed in the model that melaleuca can optimally change its carbon and nitrogen allocation strategies in order to compensate for the effects of herbivory. The model includes reallocation of more resources to production and maintenance of photosynthetic tissues at the expense of roots. This compensation is shown to buffer the severity of the defoliation effect, but the model predicts a limit on the maximum herbivory that melaleuca can tolerate and survive. The model also shows that the level of available limiting nutrient (e.g., soil nitrogen) may play an important role in a melaleuca’s ability to compensate for herbivory. This study has management implications for the best ways to maximize the level of damage using biological control or other means of defoliation.

Florida↗
USGS2023

Toward invasive mussel genetic biocontrol: Approaches, challenges, and perspectives

Invasive freshwater mussels, such as the zebra ( Dreissena polymorpha ), quagga ( Dreissena rostriformis bugensis ), and golden ( Limnoperna fortunei ) mussel have spread outside their native ranges throughout many regions of the North American, South American, and European continents in recent decades, damaging infrastructure and the environment. This review describes ongoing efforts by multiple groups to develop genetic biocontrol methods for invasive mussels. First, we provide an overview of genetic biocontrol strategies that have been applied in other invasive or pest species. Next, we summarize physical and chemical methods that are currently in use for invasive mussel control. We then describe the multidisciplinary approaches our groups are employing to develop genetic biocontrol tools for invasive mussels. Finally, we discuss the challenges and limitations of applying genetic biocontrol tools to invasive mussels. Collectively, we aim to openly share information and combine expertise to develop practical tools to enable the management of invasive freshwater mussels.

iScience↗
USGS2016

USGS science and technology help managers battle invading Asian carp

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts Asian carp research focused on early detection, risk assessment, and development of control tools and strategies. The goals are to prevent the establishment of invasive Asian carp in the Great Lakes and to reduce their impacts in the Ohio River and Mississippi River Basins and elsewhere. Managers can use the information, tools, and strategies for early detection of Asian carp and to control them when their presence is first evident. New detection and control tools are designed to accommodate expansion to other invasive species and application in geographically diverse areas. This USGS focus complements goals of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a multi-agency collaboration started in 2010 to protect and restore the Great Lakes. As a member of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, which guides Asian carp efforts, the USGS works closely with Federal and State agencies, Canada, and others to address high-priority Asian carp issues and provide science to inform management decisions. The USGS has gained extensive knowledge of Asian carp biology and life history over the past 30 years. That knowledge guides the design, development, and application of control strategies, and is essential for developing approaches in line with modern principles and practices of integrated pest management (IPM). IPM is a process used to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS2023

Use of physical blockers to control invasive red swamp crayfish in burrows

The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii is native to the southeast United States but has successfully invaded nearly every continent around the world. Although physical, biological, and chemical controls are employed to reduce or eliminate populations in open-water systems, terrestrial burrows provide a potential refuge from aquatic control treatments. We conducted burrow trials to test whether two physical blocker treatments would kill P. clarkii in their burrows. Bentonite clay (a sealing agent) and expanding foam (an insulating sealant) were each applied to 37 crayfish burrows, and 36 burrows served as treatment controls (i.e., 110 total burrows). Burrows were excavated 48 hr after the application of the physical blockers to assess the status of crayfish in treated and control burrows. There was 74% mortality of crayfish in occupied burrows treated with bentonite clay, 62% in burrows treated with expanding foam, and 6% mortality in control burrows. We believe bentonite clay should continue to be field-tested; however, because expanding foam is toxic to aquatic organisms and is expected to persist in the environment, we do not believe it is a suitable physical blocker for the control of invasive crayfish in burrows. Bentonite clay applications likely will not need permits, will mitigate damage to banks and levees caused by burrowing crayfish, and can be used with other control agents such as pesticides. However, the use of physical blockers may be limited at field sites that have burrows with complex morphologies. We believe the use of bentonite clay to control invasive crayfish in terrestrial burrows will provide resource managers with an effective tool for their integrative pest management programs.

Management of Biological Invasions↗
USGS2019

The dilemma of pest suppression in the conservation of endangered species

In the conservation of endangered species, active suppression of a population of one native species to benefit another native species poses particular challenges. Obvious examples include predator control and nest parasite reduction. Less obvious is the control of blood-feeding arthropods. We present a case study on the effect of blood-feeding black flies (Simulium spp.) on reintroduced Whooping Cranes (Grus americana). Our intent is to provide a transferrable, science-driven approach for determining the effects of blood-feeding arthropods on endangered vertebrates, and demonstrate an approach for guiding selection of management actions for managers faced with competing objectives. A multi-year experiment demonstrated that black flies reduce nest success in reintroduced cranes by driving the birds off their nests during incubation. Deciding how to respond, however, is complicated because the target black flies are native species that serve important ecological functions. We suggest that a decision-analytic approach can inspire the development of creative management alternatives and facilitate a transparent process that evaluates trade-offs among competing objectives. Recognizing that these decisions involve trade-offs, which must be weighed in the context of each case, is crucial to identifying alternatives that best balance multiple management objectives. Given the uncertainty about the population dynamics of blood-feeding arthropods, an adaptive management approach will offer substantial benefits.

Wisconsin↗
USGS2022

Invasive species control and management: The sea lamprey story

Control of invasive species is a critical component of conservation biology given the catastrophic damage that they can cause to the ecosystems they invade. This is particularly evident with sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Native to the Atlantic Ocean, the sea lamprey's ability to osmoregulate in fresh water, its wide thermal tolerance, generalist diet, and high fecundity allowed it to rapidly reach pest proportions in the prey-rich Great Lakes once it gained access through shipping canals. The invasion exacerbated declines in Great Lakes fisheries caused by overharvest, culminating in the crash of lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) and other fish populations. In the last 60 years, however, a highly successful sea lamprey control program has reduced sea lamprey to ∼10% of their peak abundance and has been instrumental in enabling the rehabilitation of the Great Lakes ecosystem. In this chapter, we: (1) discuss the likely vectors of the invasion and the physiological attributes of sea lamprey that enabled them to become established in the Great Lakes; (2) review the two cornerstones of the sea lamprey control program—which relies on a combination of pesticides to eradicate multiple generations of larval sea lamprey in their nursey streams, and in-stream barriers to restrict the upstream migration of spawning lamprey—both of which exploit unique physiological vulnerabilities of sea lamprey; (3) describe how sea lamprey control can adversely affect non-target species and how these can be mitigated; (4) show how physiology-based approaches are improving our understanding of the lethal and sublethal effects of sea lamprey on host fishes; and (5) discuss the future of conservation physiology in sea lamprey control. The prime challenge in the next several decades of the Anthropocene will be to further refine the specificity of control tools while maintaining their efficacy, and to adapt to a warming climate and other anthropogenic activities affecting the Great Lakes and their tributaries.

Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario↗
USGS2015

Simulation of groundwater flow and chloride transport in the “1,200-foot” sand with scenarios to mitigate saltwater migration in the “2,000-foot” sand in the Baton Rouge area, Louisiana

Groundwater withdrawals have caused saltwater to encroach into freshwater-bearing aquifers beneath Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The 10 aquifers beneath the Baton Rouge area, which includes East and West Baton Rouge Parishes, Pointe Coupee Parish, and East and West Feliciana Parishes, provided about 184.3 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) for public supply and industrial use in 2012. Groundwater withdrawals from the “1,200-foot” sand in East Baton Rouge Parish have caused water-level drawdown as large as 177 feet (ft) north of the Baton Rouge Fault and limited saltwater encroachment from south of the fault. The recently developed groundwater model for simulating transport in the “2,000-foot” sand was rediscretized to also enable transport simulation within the “1,200-foot” sand and was updated with groundwater withdrawal data through 2012. The model was recalibrated to water-level observation data through 2012 with the parameter-estimation code PEST and calibrated to observed chloride concentrations at observation wells within the “1,200-foot” sand and “2,000-foot” sand. The model is designed to evaluate strategies to control saltwater migration, including changes in the distribution of groundwater withdrawals and installation of scavenger wells to intercept saltwater before it reaches existing production wells. Seven hypothetical scenarios predict the effects of different groundwater withdrawal options on groundwater levels and the transport of chloride within the “1,200-foot” sand and the “2,000-foot” sand during 2015–2112. The predicted water levels and concentrations for all scenarios are depicted in maps for the years 2047 and 2112. The first scenario is a base case for comparison to the six other scenarios and simulates continuation of 2012 reported groundwater withdrawals through 2112 (100 years). The second scenario that simulates increased withdrawals from industrial wells in the “1,200-foot” sand predicts that water levels will be 12–25 ft lower by 2047 and that there will be a negligible difference in chloride concentrations within the “1,200-foot” sand. The five other scenarios simulate the effects of various withdrawal schemes on water levels and chloride concentrations within the “2,000-foot” sand. Amongst these five other scenarios, three of the scenarios simulate only various withdrawal reductions, whereas the two others also incorporate withdrawals from a scavenger well that is designed to extract salty water from the base of the “2,000-foot” sand. Two alternative pumping rates (2.5 Mgal/d and 1.25 Mgal/d) are simulated in each of the scavenger-well scenarios. For the “2,000-foot” sand scenarios, comparison of the predicted effects of the scenarios is facilitated by graphs of predicted chloride concentrations through time at selected observation wells, plots of salt mass in the aquifer through time, and a summary of the predicted plume area and average concentration. In all scenarios, water levels essentially equilibrate by 2047, after 30 years of simulated constant withdrawal rates. Although predicted water-level recovery within the “2,000-foot” sand is greatest for the scenario with the greatest reduction in groundwater withdrawal from that aquifer, the scavenger-well scenarios are most effective in mitigating the future extent and concentration of the chloride plume. The simulated scavenger-well withdrawal rate has more influence on the plume area and concentration than do differences among the scenarios in industrial and public-supply withdrawal rates.

Louisiana, Mississippi↗
USGS1992

Diflubenzuron Hazards to Fish, Wildlife and Invertebrates: A Synoptic Review

Diflubenzuron (1(4chlorophenyl)3(2,6difluorobenzoyl)urea), also known as dimilin, is a potent broad spectrum insect growth regulator that interferes with chitin synthesis at time of molting and is effective in controlling immature stages of insects. Diflubenzuron was approved for domestic use in 1976 to control gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), and in 1979 against the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis). By 1989 this compound was also registered for domestic use against mosquitos, forest Lepidoptera, mushroom flies, and leaf-eating insect pests of citrus, woody ornamentals, vegetables, and fruit. Diflubenzuron seldom persists for more than a few days in soil and water. When used properly in forest management, it is unlikely to be leached into ground water from the application site. Degradation in water and soil is most rapid when small particle formulations are applied; microorganisms are abundant; and at elevated pH, temperature, and organic loading. Chemical and biological processes initially yield 2,6difluorobenzoic acid and 4chlorophenylurea.

Contaminant Hazard Reviews↗
USGS2017

Leaching and sorption of neonicotinoid insecticides and fungicides from seed coatings

Seed coatings are a treatment used on a variety of crops to improve production and offer protection against pests and fungal outbreaks. The leaching of the active ingredients associated with the seed coatings and the sorption to soil was evaluated under laboratory conditions using commercially available corn and soybean seeds to study the fate and transport of these pesticides under controlled conditions. The active ingredients (AI) included one neonicotinoid insecticide (thiamethoxam) and five fungicides (azoxystrobin, fludioxonil, metalaxyl, sedaxane thiabendazole). An aqueous leaching experiment was conducted with treated corn and soybean seeds. Leaching potential was a function of solubility and seed type. The leaching of fludioxonil, was dependent on seed type with a shorter time to equilibrium on the corn compared to the soybean seeds. Sorption experiments with the treated seeds and a solution of the AIs were conducted using three different soil types. Sorption behavior was a function of soil organic matter as well as seed type. For most AIs, a negative relationship was observed between the aqueous concentration and the log K oc . Sorption to all soils tested was limited for the hydrophilic pesticides thiamethoxam and metalaxyl. However, partitioning for the more hydrophobic fungicides was dependent on both seed type and soil properties. The mobility of fludioxonil in the sorption experiment varied by seed type indicating that the adjuvants associated with the seed coating could potentially play a role in the environmental fate of fludioxonil. This is the first study to assess, under laboratory conditions, the fate of pesticides associated with seed coatings using commercially available treated seeds. This information can be used to understand how alterations in agricultural practices (e.g., increasing use of seed treatments) can impact the exposure (concentration and duration) and potential effects of these chemicals to aquatic and terrestrial organisms.

Journal of Environmental Science and Health - Part↗
USGS2020

Parsing the effects of demography, climate, and management on recurrent brucellosis outbreaks in elk

1. Zoonotic pathogens can harm human health and well-being directly or by impacting livestock. Pathogens that spillover from wildlife can also impair conservation efforts if humans perceive wildlife as pests. Brucellosis, caused by the bacterium Brucella abortus, circulates in elk and bison herds of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and poses a risk to cattle and humans. Our goal was to understand the relative effects of climatic drivers, host demography, and management control programs on disease dynamics. 2. Using >20 years of serologic, demographic, and environmental data on brucellosis in elk, we built stochastic compartmental models to assess the influences of climate forcing, herd immunity, population turnover, and management interventions on pathogen transmission. Data were collected at feedgrounds visited in winter by free-ranging elk in Wyoming, USA. 3. Snowpack, hypothesized as a driver of elk aggregation and thus brucellosis transmission, was strongly correlated across feedgrounds. We expected this variable to drive synchronized disease dynamics across herds. Instead, we demonstrate asynchronous epizootics driven by variation in demographic rates. 4. We evaluated the effectiveness of test-and-slaughter of seropositive female elk at two feedgrounds. Test-and-slaughter temporarily reduced herd-level seroprevalence but likely reduced herd immunity while removing few infectious individuals, resulting in subsequent outbreaks once the intervention ceased. We simulated an alternative strategy of removing seronegative female elk and found it would increase herd immunity, yielding fewer infections. We evaluated a second experimental treatment wherein feeding density was reduced at one feedground, but we found no evidence for an effect despite a decade of implementation. 5. Synthesis and applications: Positive serostatus is often weakly correlated with infectiousness but is nevertheless used to make management decisions including lethal removal in wildlife disease systems. We show how this can have adverse consequences whereas efforts that maintain herd immunity can have longer-term protective effects. Climatic drivers may not result in synchronous disease dynamics across populations unless vital rates are also similar because demographic factors have a large influence on disease patterns.

Idaho, Montana, Wyoming↗
USGS1993

The common wolf snake, Lycodon aulicus capucinus, a recent colonist of Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean

The discovery of the common wolf snake, Lycodon aulicus capucinus , on Christmas I . in the Indian Ocean suggests that individuals of the species have colonised the island recently. On the basis of biological information for this widespread colubrid snake and for the brown tree snake, Boiga irregularis, a well-documented pest species on Guam, the establishment of the common wolf snake would pose a severe threat to the native fauna and ecology of Christmas I. Immediate research is needed to document the spread of the snake, to evaluate its effects on other fauna, and to control or eradicate the species before it becomes firmly established.

Christmas Island↗
USGS2010

Agronomic and environmental implications of enhanced s-triazine degradation

Novel catabolic pathways enabling rapid detoxification of s -triazine herbicides have been elucidated and detected at a growing number of locations. The genes responsible for s -triazine mineralization, i.e. atzABCDEF and trzNDF , occur in at least four bacterial phyla and are implicated in the development of enhanced degradation in agricultural soils from all continents except Antarctica. Enhanced degradation occurs in at least nine crops and six crop rotation systems that rely on s -triazine herbicides for weed control, and, with the exception of acidic soil conditions and s -triazine application frequency, adaptation of the microbial population is independent of soil physiochemical properties and cultural management practices. From an agronomic perspective, residual weed control could be reduced tenfold in s -triazine-adapted relative to non-adapted soils. From an environmental standpoint, the off-site loss of total s -triazine residues could be overestimated 13-fold in adapted soils if altered persistence estimates and metabolic pathways are not reflected in fate and transport models. Empirical models requiring soil pH and s -triazine use history as input parameters predict atrazine persistence more accurately than historical estimates, thereby allowing practitioners to adjust weed control strategies and model input values when warranted.

Pest Management Science↗
USGS2026

Toxicity of synergized permethrin residues in cattle dung to two temperate dung beetle species after application of common livestock pour-on treatment

Essential to pasture health, dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) provide key ecosystem services across natural and managed rangeland habitats. Insecticide residues in livestock dung can negatively impact dung beetle populations, and synergized pyrethroid products are commonly used to combat resistant pest fly populations. Here, permethrin residues were measured by GC-MS/MS in fresh cattle feces on Days −2 (pretreatment), 4, 8, 16, and 30 after the label rate application of a formulated pour-on treatment (a.i. 5% permethrin, 5% piperonyl butoxide [PBO]). Mean (± SE) measured permethrin concentrations were the highest on Day 4 at 1400 ± 360 ng of permethrin/g of dung (dry weight) with a maximum concentration of 2200 ng/g. Approximately, 99% of applied permethrin was excreted by Day 16, with no detection by Day 30. Field-collected dung was used in a 48-hour toxicity test and with three treatment groups (control [Day −2], low risk [Day 16], and high risk [Day 4]). Two temperate dung beetle species were tested: Onthophagus pennsylvanicus Harold and Canthon chalcites Haldeman. Mean (± SE) mortality of O. pennsylvanicus was 28 ± 5% and 58 ± 13% for low and high risk treatments, respectively. Mean (± SE) mortality of C. chalcites was lower than O. pennsylvanicus with 10 ± 4% and 40 ± 10% for low and high risk treatments, respectively. PBO was detected on Days 4 and 8, and the permethrin:PBO ratio was 10:1 on Day 4, i.e., high risk treatment. Data presented highlight episodic risks of pour-on products and support threshold-based, integrated pest management approaches.

Oklahoma↗
USGS2021

The contribution of land cover change to the decline of honey yields in the Northern Great Plains

Decreased availability of forage, as well as increased pesticide exposure, are important factors in the decline of honey bee health. Here, we isolate land cover transitions and their effect on honey production at 160 commercial apiaries in the Northern Great Plains. We found that land cover changes from 2008 to 2012 caused an annual decline in honey yields of 0.9% in the study area. Transitions from grassland to soybean (but not corn) were particularly detrimental to honey yields, potentially due to bee contact with pesticides within and around agricultural fields. When our results are applied to known apiary locations across all of North Dakota (U.S.A.), we estimate a 2.5% (1.6 million USD) decline in 2012 honey yields due to land cover changes occurring between 2008 and 2012. Even when controlling for changes in land cover, we found that on average colonies in the study area experienced a 14% annual decline in honey yields. We discuss possible explanations for these non-land-cover-related honey yield declines, including changing economic conditions (e.g. pollination services), changes in land management (e.g. pesticides), and increases in pests or diseases.

South Dakota↗
USGS2024

Parameter ESTimation with the Gauss–Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm: An intuitive guide

In this paper, we review the derivation of the Gauss–Levenberg–Marquardt (GLM) algorithm and its extension to ensemble parameter estimation. We explore the use of graphical methods to provide insights into how the algorithm works in practice and discuss the implications of both algorithm tuning parameters and objective function construction in performance. Some insights include understanding the control of both parameter trajectory and step size for GLM as a function of tuning parameters. Furthermore, for the iterative Ensemble Smoother (iES), we discuss the importance of noise on observations and show how iES can cope with non-unique outcomes based on objective function construction. These insights are valuable for modelers using PEST, PEST++, or similar parameter estimation tools.

Groundwater↗
USGS1954

Marsh and aquatic weed problems in wildlife habitat

To most people, the word weeds signifies pest plants of the farm, roadside, or other upland areas. However, weeds also occur on, under, or near water. Fifteen million dollars have been spent on a single aquatic nuisance in the South—the prolific water-hyacinth which clogs navigable streams and lakes with its growth. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have also been expended on control of the waterchestnut or water caltrop in the Potomac River. In addition, smaller-scale local campaigns are continuing against cattails, reeds, giant cutgrass, maidencane, alligatorweed, needlerush, lotus, rose-mallows, willows, alders, buttonbush, and similar weeds that interfere with land use for recreation, irrigation, or other purposes. Since control of marsh and aquatic plants in wildlife habitat is an unfamiliar activity to most weed workers, broad aspects of its what, why , and how will be explained briefly.

Weeds↗
USGS2025

Decision analysis of Integrated Pest Management: A case study on invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes Basin

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) provides a powerful framework for addressing threats to human well-being caused by nuisance species including invasives. We examined the hypothesis that adaptive management could erode barriers to IPM implementation by developing a decision-analytic adaptive management framework for invasive sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) IPM in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America. The framework addressed objectives associated with coordinating multiple sea lamprey control actions at the regional scale and objectives associated with internal validity of control actions. We reduced the scope of possible management actions by orders of magnitude to the set of 6432 alternatives expected to be both socially acceptable and technically feasible. Using utility theory, we identified the management actions that optimized expected utility for all possible objective weighting schemes that considered tradeoffs between maximizing learning about control tactic efficacy and minimizing cost to the IPM program. Sensitivity analyses revealed that assumptions about the social acceptability of deploying electric weirs to control invasive sea lamprey influenced selection of the optimal control action, suggesting that resolving this source of uncertainty through iterative application of the framework may lead to improved sea lamprey control outcomes. Overall, we found that adaptive management enabled learning processes useful for overcoming barriers to IPM of invasive sea lamprey. It formalized learning about sea lamprey control tactic efficacy as an objective of the IPM institution, questioned previously held assumptions about what constitutes a viable control strategy, and enabled a management experiment with temporal and spatial replication.

Michigan, Ontario, Wisconsin↗
USGS2007

Short-term disruption of a leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) biocontrol program following herbicide application

Integrated pest management (IPM) for invasive plant species is being advocated by researchers and implemented by land managers, but few studies have evaluated the success of IPM programs in natural areas. We assessed the relative effects of components of an IPM program for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), an invasive plant, at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota. Effects of herbicides on leafy spurge abundance and on dynamics of flea beetles (Aphthona spp.) used to control leafy spurge were evaluated over three field seasons following herbicide application. We monitored leafy spurge-infested plots with established flea beetle populations that had received picloram plus 2,4-D in September 1997 or 1998, imazapic in September 1998, versus those with no chemical treatment. Mature stem counts did not differ significantly between treated and untreated plots in 2001, suggesting that leafy spurge stands had recovered from herbicide treatment. Flea beetles were less abundant on plots with a history of herbicide treatment. Structural equation models indicated that in 2000 negative correlations between relative abundances of the two flea beetle species were greater on plots that had received herbicide treatments than on those that had not, but by 2001 no differences were apparent between treated and untreated plots. These results suggest that the most effective component of IPM for leafy spurge at this site is biological control. All herbicide effects we observed were short-lived, but the increased negative correlation between flea beetle relative abundances during 2000 implies that herbicide application may have temporarily disrupted an effective biological control program at this site. ?? 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biological Control↗